среда, 29 февраля 2012 г.

The Roll of Don Cossacks in 1755 numbered 15.344 men. Their real strength was about twice more. In 1756 Russian government mobilized 4.000 Don Cossacks under brigadier Kranoshekov who joined the Main army & 400 – Observation Corps. Later 1.000 Cossacks joined the Main army. The Kransnoshekov’s Corps consisted of 8 regiments of 5 ‘sotnia’ (a unit of 100 men) each. I don’t find the names of the regimental commanders. Real strength of ‘sotnia’ was a little bit less than 100 men – about 90.

Don Cossacks had rifles & sabre OR pike. They keep service with 2 horses each. Don Cossacks during 7YW didn’t have any artillery pieces.

The dress was not regulated. They received blue cloth from the state to make the dress on their own. It’s style evidently was similar to the image presenting Don Cossack in 1774.

North-Eastern Ukraine in the sec. half of XVII c. – XVIII c. was a part of Russian state, not Malorussian (Ukranian) autonomy (so-called getman’s Ukraine). It was called Slobodskaya Ukraine. It was divided into 5 districts called ‘Polk’. Each of them provided a regiment of Cossacks (in fact - mounted militia) around 1,000 men. The Corps sent to Prussia in 1756 consisted of 5 regiments totaled 5,116 men. Each Cossack had 2 horses. They were armed with a pike, rifle (unregulated) & a sabre. Some of them had pistols. Regiments had 2 cannons with 15 gun-crews per regiment.

Slobodskie Cossacks in 1744 received unified colors of dress. The coat (tcherkesska) was blue. Shirt (chekmen), trousers & top of a fur cap were in regimental color.

regiment

strength

Regimental color

Sumskiy

1,300

Light-blue

Akhtyrskiy

1,193

Green

Kharkovskiy

823

Yellow

Ostrogozskiy

775

Orange

Izumskiy

740

Red

P.S. Table in the Russian part of the post gives more detailed info about Corps composition.

суббота, 25 февраля 2012 г.

Swedish garrison of Bohus numbered about 900 men under colonel of Skaraborg regiment Fredrich von Börstel. His second in command was lieutenant-colonel Carl Gustav Frölich. Fortress artillery was 43 cannons & 3 mortars. The siege opened on 4 June 1678. In mid of July arrived Swedish army under Gustav Stenbock & forced to lift the siege on 18 July 1678.

пятница, 24 февраля 2012 г.

The table presents a number of the artillery pieces available in the Polish zeughauses in 1702. Text below gives details for each of them. Source: WimmerJ. WojskoRzeczypospolitejPolskiejwdobiewojnypółnocnej1700-1717. Warszawa, 1656. S. 165-166. P.S. Sorry for poor quality...

четверг, 23 февраля 2012 г.

In 1716 Venetian republic hired 3 regiments of Swiss & Grison infantry for continuing war with Turkey: Sallis, Muller, Stockar. Regiments consisted of 10 coys each. They were dressed in blue coats with red facings. Regiments slightly changed each other in collars & cuffs. Their grenadiers wore bear caps. In 1719 when the war ended the regiments were transferred to Spanish service.
Vinkhuzen's collection in NYPL includes a set of 4 drawings of these troops. Their source is unknown. I am not sure that they are 100% accurate.

воскресенье, 19 февраля 2012 г.

I found an old article by Dr. A. Benkert about Bavarian cavalry during the war with Turks 1683-1699 in my papers. It was published in Vedette magazine in Vol. 9 No 3 (Fall 1973!). In spite of its age it is still useful.

суббота, 18 февраля 2012 г.

British ambassador Charles Whitworth, who travelled through Lithuania in January-February 1705, made the following list of the Russian troops (strength is theoretical, not actual):

Troops in Wilno were under command of GM Sharff. They were a part of Repnin Coprs entered Lithuania in October 1704. Their actual strength in the beginning of January 1705 was the following: Sharff – 723, Rydder – 690, Deydut – 830, Nechaev – 537, Protopopov – 510. Whitworth visited Wilno on 10 Feb 1704 & described Sharff’s infantry in the following way:

Whitworth also mentioned that Russians & Poles didn't have any guards or sentinels before the towns where they quartered.

Repnin’s head-quarter was in Polotck (with foot 3 regiments). Gordon also was known as Butyrskiy.

Dragoons at Kowno were a brigade under GM Renne. They also were from Repnin’s Corps. Their actual strength in Mid. Of March 1705 was 5 443 men (in 6 regiments).

суббота, 11 февраля 2012 г.

Company colour of Halsinge regiment, pre-1705
The full set was lost at Mitau on 13 July 1705
Ротное знамя Хельсингского полка
Полный комплект таких знамен был взят в Митаве
(drawing by D. Schorr)

On July 22 (11th in Russian Old style, 12th -in Swedish Old style) Sheremetiev detached Major General Bauer with 1,400 dragoons (200 men from each of following dragoon regiments: Bauer, Mesherskiy, Wolkonskiy, Kropotov, Iflant, Grigorov, Ignatiev) & Kalmyks towards Mitau. This force marched throughout the night and arrived at daybreak to Mitau. Russians easily destroyed the guard company & entered the town. Swedes were surprised & didn’t make any serious resistance. The town was taken, that part of the garrison that was quartered in the town was easily killed & captured. Garrison of the castle had time to close the gates & Russians could not take it. Colonel Knorring quartered in the town & escaped changing into civil dress. The same afternoon Bauer returned to Mesoten. Lewenhaupt with reinforcements came to Mitau about 5 p.m. when Russians had been far from the town.

After Robert Petre’s memories Swedish garrison under colonel of Helsinge regiment Knorring was of 592 men:

Order of regiments in brigades is my assumption. Dispositions of Sheremetev's dragoon battalion & Veykov's irregulars are speculative. I assume that the battalion was on the right flank because it was weaker than the left one.
Russian dragoon regiments in 1705 were of 10 coys & had 1 18-pdr howitzer per regiment. Sheremetev's own dragoon battalion was of 5 coys with one 18-pdr howitzer.
Russian foot regiments were of 9 coys including a grenadier company. Regimental artillery was 2 3-pdr brass cannons per regiment.
Below is a table presenting regimental strength at the start of campaign (May 1705) & losses at the battle.
I - actual number of officers
II - actual number of other ranks
III - total actual strength at the start of the campaign
IV - killed & deserted/missed
V - wounded
VI - total losses

regiment

strength

losses

I

II

III

V

VI

VII

Dragoons

Sheremetev's batalion

12

450

462

11

25

36

Kropotov

34

890

924

41

75

116

Ignatiev

32

898

930

43

95

138

Wolkonkiy

29

836

865

52

113

165

Mesherskiy

29

859

888

46

149

195

Iflant

29

782

811

42

72

114

Sukhotyn

30

464

494

23

50

73

Gagaryn

25

446

471

13

27

40

Bauer

31

740

771

33

91

124

Grigorov

31

899

930

72

120

192

282

7264

7546

376

817

1193

Infantry

Lange

78

2875

2953

1339

308

1647

Schonebeck

Povisch

Total strength (incl 300 irregulars & small Sheremetev's staff) was about 10,800

About the blog

This blog is dedicated to Russian military history (wars, organization, uniforms, colors, weapons) & related topics (enemies & allies - their organisation, uniforms, etc). Among my favorite topics also are Polish-Lithuanian state & army, Ottoman army & Polish Succession war 1733-35.
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